Can piercing mechanism



Feb. 14, 1961 R. H. EVERETT ,97

' CAN PIERCING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 human-ii:

"a N 31 EH5 r92? INVENTOH ATTORNEYS United States Patent CAN PIERCING MECHANISM Robert H. Everett, Rte. 1, Chipley, Fla.

Filed Jan. 6, 1959, Set. No. 785,278

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to a can piercing mechanism and has as its principal object the provision of means for simultaneously piercing both the pouring and air vent openings in the top of a can for pouring the contents thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a can piercing mechanism that is easily adjusted to pierce the top of cans of various sizes.

Still another object of this can piercing mechanism is the provision of a device that has few parts, and may be manufactured at a minimum cost.

Still another object of this can piercing mechanism is the provision of a device that may be readily serviced or cleaned.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevational view of this can piercing mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, there is generally indicated by the character 8 a hollow base on which is mounted a vertical support tube 9 having slots 10 and 11 located 90 to one another. An upper tube 12 is slidably mounted within said vertical support 9. Said upper tube 12 has a solid fiat upper end 13 on which is attached arm 14 by means of screw 15, said arm 14 projecting vertically out through said slot 10 of said tube 9.

A cap 16 fits over the top of said tube 9, while piercing die 17 is attached to said arm 14 by screw 18, and the small piercing die 19 is also attached to said arm 14 by screw 20. Rod 21 is mounted in a horizontal position in side 8 of said hollow base 8, and a lever 22 is mounted horizontally on said rod 21, vertical links 23 being coupled to said lever 22 by means of pins 24. The upper end of said vertical link 23 is attached to lower tube 25 by pin 26 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The upper end of said lower tube 25 slidably fits into the lower end of said upper tube 12 and is held in the desired position with said upper tube 12 by means of screw 27 on which is threaded hand wheel 28, the shank 28 of said hand wheel 28 passing through said slot 11 of said vertical support tube 9. Re-

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turning again to the inside of said base 8, one sees that the other end of said spring is hooked to lug 30 of said base 8.

Can positioning members 31 are attached to the top of said base 8, and as shown, converge towards the tube 9 providing a substantially V-shaped guide. A can hold down screw 32 extends laterally from the lower end of said vertical support tube 9, so that the lower flange of a can being punched may engage thereunder and be held against accidental displacement during the punching operation.

The described centering members 31 and hold down screw 32 are so located in relation to the piercing dies as to permit the piercing of any diameter can.

A handle 33 for operating this can piercing mechanism is attached to one end of said rod 21 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the appended drawings.

This can piercing mechanism has now been completely assembled, and its operation is as follows. A can is set in a vertical position on hollow base 8 between can positioning members 31, and held tightly against the locating screw 32. Hand wheel 28 is now turned counterclockwise loosening screw 27 so that tube 12 and arm 14, with piercing dies 17 and 19 are free to slide in vertical tube support 9. The said arm 14 is now moved so that the lower ends of piercing dies 17 and 19 are just above the top of the can to be pierced. Hand wheel 28 is now turned clockwise, thus locking the said tube 12 and arm 14 at the desired height. Handle 33 is now pulled backward, thus causing the can to be pierced by the obvious action of the mechanism described.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved can piercing mechanism which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A can piercing device comprising a hollow base having a top wall and having an opening in said top wall, a vertical stationary supporting tube having one end thereof secured over said opening in said top wall communicating with the interior of said base through said opening, said supporting tube having a longitudinally disposed slot in the wall thereof, an upper vertically movable tube slidably mounted within said supporting tube, a laterally extended arm secured to said slidably mounted tube, extending through said slot, spaced piercing members depending from said arm adapted to pierce the end of a cam supported on said base directly thereunder, a lower tube mounted for vertical sliding movement within said upper vertically movable tube, said lower tube having a slot aligning with said slot of said stationary supporting tube, disposed longitudinally of said lower tube, a connecting screw secured to said upper tube and extending through said aligning slots, a hand Wheel threaded on said screw for efiecting operation of said screw adjustably clamping said upper and lower tubes together, and means including a pivoted lever and link connected between said lever and lower tubular member for effecting vertical movement of said slidable tubes and can piercing members.

2. A can piercing device as claimed in claim 1, said lever being pivotally mounted within said hollow base, a link connected between said lever and lower tube for transmitting movement of said lever to said vertically 3 r -4 movable tubes, a coiled spring connected between said References Cited in the file of this patent base and lever normally biasing said lever to its inactive position, and a handle for manually operating said lever UNITED STATES PATENTS for moving said tubes and piercing members in one direc- 2,725,622 Geier Dec. 6, 1955 tion V 5 

